At a lecture sponsored by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied (LGBTA) community last night, speaker Bruce Smail asked the audience an ambiguous question: "What is identity?"

Smail, founder and president of AKILI Consultants, a company that advocates for people of color, LGBT communities and people living with HIV/AIDS, discussed a breakthrough field of study called Multiple Dimensions of Identity (MDI) at the Foster Auditorium.

MDI addresses the balance of different identities within a person, including their race, culture, sexual orientation, gender and religion.

"We all have multiple identities," he said, adding that he is black, bisexual and HIV-positive. "We need to understand the complexities of identity, especially as it relates to gender and sexual orientation."

Being honest about one's identity can be especially difficult for people who face multiple forms of oppression in society, such as black homosexual males, he said.

"Can black men openly come out? And what is the stigma there?" Smail asked.

Smail also discussed ways a campus community can embrace multiple identities by drawing on his experience as director of the LGBT center at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

He said a university should use inclusive language, create space for silenced voices within the community and develop training/support programs on MDI to create a welcoming campus environment.

"Think differently," he said. "Complex and newer issues may not have traditional solutions."

Smail also spoke openly about being bisexual and living with HIV, which sparked many questions from audience members, who were curious about his ability to acknowledge his multiple identities.

"Some people choose to label, and other people choose not to label," he said. "I know who I am."

After the presentation, audience member Michael Balkenhol (junior-American studies) said he felt he learned more about MDI. "It expanded my vocab and knowledge," he said.

Dana Warren (senior-food science) said she had learned new terms to describe sexual identities, such as "gender queer," or people who do not display traditional gender qualities.

Kara Horn (graduate-college student affairs) said that although she enjoyed the program, her views remained unchanged.

"I still identify as an ally," she said, "but it did introduce an interesting perspective on identity."

However, two students said Smail taught them to challenge traditional labels.

"I learned you really don't have to define yourself," Chantille Kendall (sophomore-economics) said.

Shay Bailey (junior-health policy administration) agreed.

"Defining yourself is only for the purpose of others," she said.